Canada Post removing US Small Packet Surface

[doglover550]

I didn't see this on a thread anywhere.

Canada Post is removing US Small Packet Surface. Also looks like they are removing $100.00 insurance off Air and adding Tracked Parcel instead.

http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/assets/pdf/rates/parcels_changes_2013_en.pdf

No pricing yet.  Oh boy, lots of work ahead to change all my listings.

[pocomocomputing]

Small Packet Air USA is actually increasing a few cents and does not include the insurance. Wow, a big increase with the dropped insurance.

I suppose you can self insure like Light Packet for low priced items.

Shipsurance offers insurance for Canada Post services. I was just checking their site and found that they have a new product called InsurePost.  It has the same rates as shipsurance except you create an account and it saves times filling the same information about you (address etc). So it looks like it might be an option for insurance when you need it. Be careful, terms are restrictive as to what items can be insured and what countries to ship to.

There are probably other third party insurers like InsurePost.

[tobyshitzu]

Surface survives until mid feb so no rush to change anything

250 gm tracked packet to Europe starts at the *bargain* price of only $40 lol

I don't know what the obsession with insurance is, its obviously a guaranteed loser to buy it from CP or anywhere else.

[pocomocomputing]

At first glance, Tracker Packet seems to not be much of a saving over Expedited Parcel with PayPal discount of 25%.

But Expedited Parcel uses dimensional weight while Tracked Packet does not.  So a large box under 1 kg shipped Expedited Parcel might go at a 4 or 5 kg weight break. Tracker Packet is a flat rate with no dimensional weight so it might be cheaper to use for large light items under 1 kg real weight.

So Tracked Packet might be an option to use since it has DC.

Most of the changes seem to cost sellers a lot more in shipping. Not a good day for sellers.

From a Canada Post point of view, these changes will increase their revenues in the Parcel services.  But many shippers (not just eBay sellers) using Canada Post may have a big increase in their shipping costs with these changes in 2013.

[vwrider]

HI:

In regards to new rules going into place in February 2013, I do strongly believe it is going to be detrimental to small sellers like myself.  I have looked over the new changes in the email sent today by Ebay and the examples it gives.  I can tell people now that these rates are going to be significantly higher than current rates.

ie.  Currently, I send Small packet ground to US up to 1kg for around $6 and comes with $100 insurance.

The new "Tracked packet" phenomena ready to sweep Canada will cost me around $13-$15.  This is an outrage!  CP now classifies all US locations as one fixed price as opposed to now which classifies by zones. 

There has to be some outrage and dissatisfaction towards this with the new changes, as it is going to really bite us small sellers in the butt. It is going to be harder to price items reasonably where buyers don't get turned off either by price of item and/or shipping cost!?

Any thoughts?

Thanks, vwrider 

[zee-chan]

Ah well, most of my item can be shipped as oversized letterpost anyway since they are mostly thin books / cards / folders... Sometimes when the buyer buys a lot ($70+) I usually ship with USA small packet surface or international small packet airmail for the extra $1-3 for a peace of mind with the insurance, even when they are still thin enough for oversized letterpost. I never had to make any claims either and I probably shipped over 200 times (including sales from personal website) over the past 3 years. I guess I'll just stick to the cheaper oversized letterpost if they are removing insurance from small packet, unless it's between that 201-250g gap. It's Canada Post's loss. Not mine. 😛

[sffan2001]

False & misleading advertising time from eBay and/or Canada Post! (The false & misleading advertising is on an eBay page, but maybe it they just quote Canada Post).

The FAQ page lets you ask the question "How much am I saving with Tracked Packet compared to older existing services?"

And then the FAQ answer gives the (very modest) savings compared to Expedited Parcel.

Of course, what the FAQ answer does not tell you is that you are still paying much more than under the previous Small Packet system.

[novascotia_canada]

At first look I thought it was way over priced, but I see , I think, that the size of the parcel is larger than the current small packet dimensions?

http://pages.ebay.ca/sellerinformation/shipping/trackedpacket.html

[novascotia_canada]

oops I was thinking of Light Packet dimensions, am confused lol

[cumos55]

The link in reply 36 shows all of the new rates.

It should be noted that fuel surcharges are not included in the prices....

Fuel surcharges --- Link to

http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/aboutus/news/fuel/default.jsf

[cumos55]

A New reality

Lettermail, Letterpost, worldwide  for less than 500 g, and less than 2mm thick

Expedited Parcel for all parcels within Canada

Tracked Packet USA for parcels less than 1.0 kg to the US.

Expedited Parcel USA for parcels over 1.0 kg

All International parcels via International Parcel Surface.

Everything has insurance and tracking except lettermail and letterpost

International Parcel Surface is less costly than Tracked Packet International , and does provide an option for insurance above $100.

We survived that Expedited Parcel USA adjust in August a few years ago...

Now this change....

[pocomocomputing]

HI:

In regards to new rules going into place in February 2013, I do strongly believe it is going to be detrimental to small sellers like myself.  I have looked over the new changes in the email sent today by Ebay and the examples it gives.  I can tell people now that these rates are going to be significantly higher than current rates.

ie.  Currently, I send Small packet ground to US up to 1kg for around $6 and comes with $100 insurance.

The new "Tracked packet" phenomena ready to sweep Canada will cost me around $13-$15.  This is an outrage!  CP now classifies all US locations as one fixed price as opposed to now which classifies by zones. 

There has to be some outrage and dissatisfaction towards this with the new changes, as it is going to really bite us small sellers in the butt. It is going to be harder to price items reasonably where buyers don't get turned off either by price of item and/or shipping cost!?

Any thoughts?

Thanks, vwrider 

????

Current Light Packet USA and Small Packet Air or Ground USA are a Flat Rate across the USA with no zones. The rates are broken up by weight classes (100 g, 250 g, 500 g, for LP; 250 g, 500 g, 1 kg for SP).

Current Light Packet International is a Flat Rate worldwide with prices broken by weight classes. Small Packet International Air or Surface is broken down into world zones and weight classes.  Western Europe has the lowest rates of all the 9 world zones.

The new Tracked Packet is one flat rate to all of the USA broken into weight classes. So no change from the current Small Packet USA flat rate for the USA broken into weight classes.

Expedited Parcel USA is has 7 zones for the USA and rates increase with distance for each weight break. EP USA also uses dimensional weight which makes the service expensive for large light boxes.  Tracked Packet does not use diemnsional weight and is a flat rate so it may be better to use this service for large items weighing under 1 kg.

[pocomocomputing]

Is there a discount for Tracked Packet when using eBay/PayPal shipping? Based on the documents below, it seems like there is a 10% discount for PayPal shipping.

The Canada Post PDF document here

http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/prices/SBprices2013-e.pdf

Weight     TP- USA  
0g to 250g         $14.57
251g to 500g     $15.18 

501g to 1kg       $17.84

The ebay help page shows here

http://pages.ebay.ca/sellerinformation/shipping/trackedpacket.html

Weight     TP- USA     EP - USA     Savings
0g to 250g         $13.11     $15.33     -14%
251g to 500g     $13.66     $15.33     -11%
501g to 1kg     $15.79     $16.67     -5%

[cedarridgecompany]

The rate will be cheaper compared to expedited but as for sellers like me who rely on small packet which right now costs about $6 and is then going to me about $14.00, (an increase of about 230%)  is going to kill my business. I can almost guarantee that no customer of mine will want to pay that kind of shipping on items that are worth on average under $15.

I am sooo incredible pissed off right now. Come January if there is no other cheaper shipping options, I will be forced to close my account that I have been selling on for 5 years. There is no way some one is going to by my $10 item then pay $14 to ship it when they can get the same $10 item in the states and have it shipped to them for $3....

[cedarridgecompany]

If you regularly use expedited you will save money on lighter goods under 1kg.

If you rely on small packet like I do then you will be paying about 230% more to ship your small things.

X-(

X-(

X-(

[pocomocomputing]

How will the availability of Tracker Packet affect eBay.ca requirements for TRS discount and search visibility? Currently we do not have to meet the 90% tracking rule that USA sellers have to meet.

I cannot remember what the 90% tracking rule does to USA sellers. So I am a little curious as to the impact of the new Tracked Service.

[pjcdn2005]

The rate will be cheaper compared to expedited but as for sellers like me who rely on small packet which right now costs about $6 and is then going to me about $14.00, (an increase of about 230%)  is going to kill my business.

Small packet air will be $7.80 for up to 250gr. If your items are worth an average of $15 then you shouldn't have to worry about having insurance.

[pocomocomputing]

A New reality

Lettermail, Letterpost, worldwide  for less than 500 g, and less than 2mm thick

Same reality as current.

I hope Light Packet USA and International still exists. No mention of it in the new rates for 2013. Light Packet is part of Small Packet currently. Loss of Light Packet 100 grams will be a huge blow to some sellers if it is gone. More Sellers will use Letterpost for good when they should not if Light Packet is gone.

Expedited Parcel for all parcels within Canada

Same reality as current. No change except a price increase.

Tracked Packet USA for parcels less than 1.0 kg to the US.

Small Packet Air is still available for a lower cost shipping option to the USA. Sellers will have to adjust to self insurance ("cookie jar") like when using current Light Packet or purchase insurance from a third party insurer for some packages.

Small Packet USA Surface is gone eliminating the lowest cost shipping option to the USA (other than Light Packet USA status unknown). Loss of Small Packet USA Surface is a major problem for sellers of low priced items.

Expedited Parcel USA for parcels over 1.0 kg

Expedited Parcel USA first weight break is at 500 grams. A seller will have to compare rates and service options for Small Packet Air USA, Tracked Packet USA and Expedited Parcel USA for the best option for their needs in the 1 kg and under weight breaks.

Expedited Parcel is based on dimensional weight so larger light boxes under 1 kg are probably significantly cheaper to ship using Tracked Packet if you need tracking. Of course, Small Packet Air is still available.

All International parcels via International Parcel Surface.

Surface mail is so slow that is is not the best option. Small Packet Air International is still an option to consider. If third party insurance is available for the type of goods and the destination country, them Small Packet Air International may still be a good option.

Everything has insurance and tracking except lettermail and letterpost

International Parcel Surface is less costly than Tracked Packet International , and does provide an option for insurance above $100.

Surface is just too slow. A seller might get PayPal INR claims because it exceeds the 45 day PayPal claim limit. From what I understand about tracking for International Parcel Surface, it is available to some destinations, not all.

We survived that Expedited Parcel USA adjust in August a few years ago...

eBay sellers were fortunate that eBay/PayPal gave us a 25% discount on Expedited Parcel a few months before. The Canada Post rate increase was large and offset the discount savings but it apparently did result in a faster Expedited Parcel service to the USA.

Now this change....

Big change that will alter what a Canadian seller can sell and ship a a total price that is attractive to buyers.

Definitely changes what Canadian sellers can list and sell in 2013. Low priced items under $10 are going to be very tough to sell when shipping cost are higher than the item price. With the Shipping Cost FVF, the shipping is even more expensive...

[pjcdn2005]

Since they took away insurance on the small packet air, it would have been nice if they had at least kept the price the same.

But..unless it is a misprint, it looks like USA Letterpost standard and oversize are staying the same price. In the link given in post 8, Oversize letterpost to the U.S. will still be $2.10 for up to 100grams. (on page 30 of that link)

I never use letterpost to the U.S. but I'm sure others do. I'm curious about the light packet prices.

[pocomocomputing]

Removing insurance on Small Packet Air USA and increasing the price is a really bad thing that Canada Post did. They should have maintained the price.

I do wonder about Light Packet USA. Loss of the 100 gram service at $2.48 would be a major blow to shipping costs for some sellers.

[pocomocomputing]

Is there a discount for Tracked Packet when using eBay/PayPal shipping? Based on the documents below, it seems like there is a 10% discount for PayPal shipping.

The Canada Post PDF document here

http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/prices/SBprices2013-e.pdf

Weight     TP- USA  
0g to 250g         $14.57
251g to 500g     $15.18 

501g to 1kg       $17.84

The ebay help page shows here

http://pages.ebay.ca/sellerinformation/shipping/trackedpacket.html

Weight     TP- USA     EP - USA     Savings
0g to 250g         $13.11     $15.33     -14%
251g to 500g     $13.66     $15.33     -11%
501g to 1kg     $15.79     $16.67     -5%

I found a reference on eBay saying that there will be a discounted rate using PayPal.

http://pages.ebay.ca/sellerinformation/shipping/trackedpacket.html

Are Tracked Packet™ shipping labels going to be available for purchase on PayPal?

Yes. You will be able to purchase and print Tracked Packet™ shipping labels from your PayPal account at a special discounted rate for eBay sellers. More details on rates and timing will be announced in early 2013.